


Teased

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Talon!Damian AU [16]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 07:58:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4821392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Owlman wouldn’t say he was waiting for the day Batman would find him…but really, he couldn’t wait to rub his victories in his brother’s face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teased

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been on a Court of Owls kick as of late, and I miss this AU. When Lincoln says ‘just as I always do’ he means he tends to harm Damian before re-upping the memory-loss/brainwashing drug, not necessarily attempting to drown him. That’s, of course, in reference to the recent addition to the AU, where Damian actually maybe sort of remembered his family a few times during his captivity. This sets place way early, between _Following Orders_ and _Plead_. Warning: a couple mentions of child abuse.

Lincoln stood on the roof, staring up at the smoggy sky. It was beautiful, in its own right. The lights trying to reflect. The smoky purples, the muddy oranges. The wind blew, cool and tasting of the oncoming autumn. He pulled off the mask, tugged back the cowl of the bodysuit, let the breeze ruffle his hair.

It was a lovely night.

Lovelier now, as he heard the approach behind him, heard the miniscule whoosh of the cape, sensed the impending punch.

He couldn’t help but grin.

Lincoln spun around, catching the fist in his hand. Grinned wider.

“Hello, brother.”

Batman – Bruce – didn’t react to the title. Instead growled a harsh, low, furious: _“Where is he?!”_

“He?” Lincoln asked in mock confusion, squeezing Bruce’s hand before throwing him backwards. “He _who?_ ”

“You know _damn_ well who.” Bruce snarled, already tensing for another launch.

“Do I?” Lincoln purred, sauntering forward. “Refresh my memory, please.”

And he could see Bruce’s struggle. He didn’t want to take the bait, run with Lincoln’s games, but he didn’t want to draw out the conversation, just… Well. Just in case.

“ _My son.”_ He hissed.

“Oh, yeah. _Him_.” Lincoln hummed, turned back towards the city. “ _He’s_ not here.”

He could practically _hear_ the Batman biting his tongue, could hear the blood splashing against his teeth as he fought to keep calm. Fought to keep himself from saying anything stupid, anything callous, anything that might make Lincoln throw himself off a building and disappear, traceless, back into Gotham’s shadows.

“He’s back home. _Resting_.” The sneer was obvious. “He had a long day yesterday.”

The gauntlets creaked around Bruce’s tightening fists. “What. Did you. _Do_ to him.”

And Lincoln was _gleeful_. Couldn’t help it. He glanced over his shoulder, gave Bruce his biggest smile. “Stabbed him in the throat.”

Any composure Bruce might have had was gone in an instant, and Lincoln laughed as the other grabbed his arm, hurled him to the ground. Straddled his torso and slammed his hands down on his throat.

“Tell me where he is, right _now_ , and I won’t rip your tongue out through your ears.” Bruce threatened, already compressing to crush Lincoln’s throat.

“I _told_ you where he was.” Lincoln croaked, still laughing, still grinning. “He’s back with the Court. Resting in his _coffin_. Waiting for the _Electrum_ injection to be completed.”

Bruce grit his teeth, pushed his fingers deeper into his neck.

“ _Why_.” And the sound…it was almost a sob. Furious and bitter and sour, but a sob nonetheless. “He is a _child_. He’s done _nothing_ to you. He _is_ _nothing_ to you. You didn’t even know he existed before-”

“Oh, Bruce.” Lincoln cooed, tried halfheartedly to dig his fingers under Bruce’s. “Are you really so naive? Or are you just _stupid?_ ”

Bruce frowned. Pursed his lips, put all of his weight in his hands. “If it was me you wanted, you knew where to find me. You knew how to _fight_ me, you-”

“Oh, _please_. I didn’t _want_ you.” Another bark of laughter, before he glanced up. Forced Bruce to maintain eye contact. “I wanted to _hurt_ you.”

And Bruce seemed honestly _surprised_ by that.

“I wanted to tear your heart out. Shatter your entire soul. I wanted break your operation _so badly_ , it could never recover.” He whispered, almost fondly. “Dick Grayson was my first choice. _Only_ choice, really. Because he was the only one I knew about.”

Suddenly his grin turned predatory.

“But then I learned about Damian. I learned that I had a _nephew_.” Lincoln breathed, almost in wonder. Bruce’s hands twitched. “And he was _everything_ I wanted. Everything I could have ever _dreamed_ of having, to destroy you. All in one neat little package.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t.”

“Your son. Your partner. Your _blood_ , and since _mine_ didn’t matter, I could only hope _his_ would.”

Batman’s hands trembled. “Stop.”

“It really was amazing, though. I mean-“ A snort. “-I didn’t even need to think of a plan!”

Bruce shifted. “I’m giving you _one more chance_ -”

“Just make the kid cry. Make him _bleed_. Rough him up. Break his morals – Break _your_ morals. I knew you’d come running. I knew you and your birds would _trip_ over yourselves trying to find him.” And that grin morphed. Became malicious and evil, and everything Bruce knew the Court of Owls to be. “The brainwashing, though. That was just for fun. For my own… _amusement_.”

And that was all Bruce could take. He lifted the man by his neck, slammed his skull back into the concrete of the roof.

“Where the _hell_ have you taken my son?!”

“Perhaps that’s where he is _exactly_.” Lincoln giggled, blinking away the oncoming haze in his eyes. “But, brother dear, I’m afraid you’re boring me now. So I think I’m going to have to cut our chat a little short.”

He jerked his hand upwards, tearing the claws of his gloves into Batman’s cheeks, tossing him off to the side. Bruce landed with a thud, with a shout of pain, and Lincoln quickly clambered to his feet, hopped onto the roof’s ledge, positioning himself to pounce.

But then he paused. Then, that giddiness filled his chest once more.

“Oh, and before I go, I guess I should mention.” He glanced back, watched Batman wipe the blood from his face, stagger to his knees. “He _remembered_ you the other day.”

Bruce froze.

“Remembered you, the Grayson boy and a creature named Titus.” He shrugged, as if it didn’t matter. “But don’t you worry, I put a stop to that instantly.”

“You…” And this time, Bruce wasn’t angry. Wasn’t bitter. He was _scared_. “What did you do to him?”

“Held him under water until he passed out, then gave him the drug again.” A smirk. “Just like I always do.”

Bruce’s eyes were wide behind the cowl, Lincoln could see that. Committed that tiny victory to his memory.

“But, I just figured you should know that.” He gave a quick wave over his shoulder, a quick wink, another grin. “Until next time, Brucie.”

Bruce remained silent, mouth set in a firm line. The anger was suddenly back, rolling off his shoulders like the cape that adorned them.

And Lincoln knew he was testing it. Knew he needed to run, before the Bat got his senses back. But he had to. One last barb. One last jab.

“And don’t you worry, brother.” He hummed, as he stepped from the ledge, disappeared into the night. “I’ll tell _Damian_ you said hello.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Talon!Damian stories](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/search/talon%21damian)   
> 


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